Amira (Alice Castilow), started dancing when she was 8 years
old. Alice studied ballet, tap, also piano and voice. Upon
relocating to the Mid-West, Alice became involved with
Wichita Civic Ballet. In 1970, June Landrith along with Alice
and Iris Clark, incorporated the Metropolitan Ballet
Company. With a deep love for ballet, she served as ballet
mistress, choreographer, costumer, soloist, and Associate
Artistic Director for the Met. However....
Early in 1974, Middle Eastern dance was sweeping the nation
and it swept Alice into its throng. Alice traveled to the
West Coast to study with an authentic teacher. The norm was
to adopt an Arabic name, thus she selected an appropriate
name "Amira" meaning princess. Amira received the bulk of
her training in NYC from Ibrahim "Bobby" Farrah,
international performer, choreographer, teacher, publisher
and authority on Middle Eastern dance. This was a turning
point in her career. Bobby's training demonstrated to Amira,
"Danse Oriental" ranks as dance art and was worthy of
her dedication and enthusiasm.
Amira has been our mentor for all of
our current instructors. Her passing in May of 2004 was a
tremendous loss to the dance community, however we have
endeavored to carry on the shining light of her spirit
through our dance and through our studio. She is the
inspiration and motivation behind our approach to teaching
and performing dance. |